PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. Murray State

Friday, November 15

Starkville

7:00 PM

Mississippi State

Murray State

Buy Tickets

PREVIEW: WBK Hoops vs. Murray State

November 14, 2019 | Women's Basketball

Buy Tickets Watch Live (SECN+)Listen Live Live Stats HailState.com/Gameday MSU Notes Murray State Notes

by Josh Lively, Assistant Director/Communications

STARKVILLE – No. 10 Mississippi State returns to action for its third-straight home game Friday night at 7 p.m., as the Bulldogs host Murray State at Humphrey Coliseum.

It will be "Scoops and Hoops" night as fans have the opportunity to make their own cookie ice cream sandwich and enjoy some Mississippi State basketball.

Football parking will be in effect for Friday's game. Fans with Lot AA parking passes will be asked to use Lots BB or CC, while fans with ADA West will be honored at ADA East.

For all gameday information, visit www.HailState.com/Gameday.

Fans unable to attend can watch on the SEC Network + with Charlie Winfield and Bart Gregory on the call. The game will also be streamed on MSU Radio Network with Jason Crowder and Jonathan Holmes on the call. State's clear bag policy and walk-through metal detectors will be in place for all home games this season.

Mississippi State is coming off a 2018-19 campaign that saw the Bulldogs post a 15-1 conference record to clinch the second title in program history. State followed that up by winning the team's first ever SEC Tournament Championship with a commanding 101-70 victory over Arkansas and then earning a third straight Elite Eight appearance.

The Bulldogs (2-0) are coming off a wire-to-wire 82-46 victory over UT Martin on Monday. Sophomore forward Jessika Carter finished with a career-high 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Freshman Aliyah Matharu scored in double-digits for the second game in a row, recording 15 points behind three 3-pointers. Junior Chloe Bibby rounded out the double-figure scorers with 12 points and seven boards.

With 12 opportunities to watch the Bulldogs in Humphrey Coliseum during the 2019-20 schedule, season tickets are $150 for 200 level side court reserved seats and general admission is $85. To purchase, go to hailstate.com/tickets or call the Mississippi State Ticket Office at 662.325.2600 or 888.GO.DAWGS.

For more information on the Bulldogs, follow MSU women's basketball on Twitter, like them on Facebook and join them on Instagram by searching for "HailStateWBK."

Schaefer on Pace to be Second-Fastest Coach to Win 200 Games at SEC Program
• Vic Schaefer has been one of the most successful coaches in women's basketball since joining Mississippi State. With a 196-56 record with MSU, the two-time National Coach of the Year is on pace to be the second-fastest coach to reach 200 victories at an SEC school.
• The quickest Schaefer can reach 200 wins with Mississippi State is in 256 games, which would rank behind only Georgia's Andy Landers, who reached his 200th victory in 251 games.
• The next closest coach to have accomplished the feat is Auburn's Joe Ciampi (258), while legendary head coach Pat Summitt reached victory No. 200 in her 259th game at Tennessee.
• Also worth noting, Schaefer is on pace to be the fourth-fastest coach to reach the mark amongst active coaches at their current program, trailing only Duke's Joanne P. McCallie (240), Baylor's Kim Mulkey (245) and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer (255).

State Picked to Finish Third in League, Danberry and Bibby Named to Preseason All-SEC teams by Coaches
• As two of Mississippi State's top returners from a year ago, Jordan Danberry and Chloe Bibby earned preseason All-SEC recognition from league coaches.
• Danberry earned first-team honors for her ability to get to any spot on the floor and score as well as her lockdown defense.
• Despite coming off an injury and missing half of last season, league coaches are expecting Bibby to return to full strength and once again take her place among the country's best 3-point shooters, placing her on the second team.
• Mississippi State was picked to finish third in the SEC this season by both the media and coaches. The Bulldogs have placed inside the top three of the conference in each of the last five seasons.

Bulldogs in the AP Rankings
• On Nov. 24, 2014, the Associated Press voted Mississippi State back into the top 25 for the first time in four years. With MSU earning a spot in the preseason poll heading into the 2019-20 season, the Bulldogs have now spent 96 consecutive weeks inside the AP Top 25, marking the longest streak in program history.
• During the stretch, State has been ranked inside the top 10 for 60 straight weeks, a streak that is also active heading into this season as MSU was ranked No. 10 in this year's preseason poll.
• Since beginning the streak, MSU has been ranked as a top-five team for 33 weeks, including a stretch of 14 straight weeks during the 2017-18 season.
• When the preseason rankings come out on Oct. 30, Mississippi State will be looking for just its eighth preseason ranking in program history after beginning the 2018-19 campaign at No. 6 in the country.

Danberry Named to Naismith Trophy Watch List
• Jordan Danberry added another preseason honor to her list, being tabbed to the 2020 Women's Citizen Naismith Trophy Watch List, which is given to the nation's top player by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.
• She was one of 50 players to be named to the list. She was also only one of eight players from the SEC to earn the recognition.
• Mississippi State is one of 15 schools to have a player selected for both the men's and women's watch lists. Preseason All-American Reggie Perry represented the men
• The other schools to achieve the feat were Arizona, Baylor, Duke, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, NC State, Oregon, Oregon State and Seton Hall.

Bulldogs Sign Two Top-100 Players in 2020 Class
• Once again, Vic Schaefer and the Mississippi State women's basketball team found success on the recruiting trail, landing a pair of top-100 players in five star guard Madison Hayes and four star forward DeYona Gaston.
• Hayes, who could potentially be State's second-ever McDonald's All-American signee, is rated as the No. 29 player in the country by espnW. The 2019 USA Today Tennessee Player of the Year is the third top-30 prospect to sign with MSU in the last two classes.
• Hayes earned a spot on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List and the USA Today All-USA Preseason Team for the 2019-20 season. As a junior, she averaged 25.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg and 4.0 spg in helping her team to a district championship and received All-Tennessee first team honors by USA Today.
• Rated 95th in the country, Gaston was one of the most highly-touted players in the 2020 class early on. As a freshman at Pearland High School in Texas, she averaged a double-double with 17.5 ppg and 11.3 rpg to go along with 3.0 bpg and 2.0 spg. However, she missed all of her sophomore season due to injuries, dropping her in the rankings.
• Gaston proved she was still one of the best players in the country, posting 18.1 ppg on 52 percent shooting as a junior in 2018-19. She also averaged 9.5 rpg and 1.9 bpg. In two seasons, she's totaled 926 points, 542 rebounds, 128 blocks, 92 steals and 58 assists.
• With the goal of putting together an impressive senior year, Gaston is coming off a campaign where she claimed TGCA 6A District Player of the Year as well as the Defensive Player of the Year honors en route to earning a spot on the All-State team.